


Tales of Dragons and Dwarrows

by VileVenom



Category: The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, Here there be dragons, M/M, bagginshield, dragon tamer bilbo, lindwyrms and fire drakes and snow dragons oh my!, mostly only if you squint at the moment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-07
Updated: 2013-04-12
Packaged: 2017-12-07 18:05:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/751452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VileVenom/pseuds/VileVenom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Unedited drabbles set in my Dragon Tamer AU, wherein Bilbo tames and raises dragons, and is wrangled into the job of helping Thorin and his company remove the rather troublesome fire drake Smaug from the lonely mountain.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I figured sticking these all into one work instead of having them floating around would be a good idea.
> 
> A Lindwyrm is a dragon whose body looks like a worm, usually with the head of a lizard. They have no legs, and can either be hatched with or without wings.

Thorin frowned at the round green door before him, glancing back at the grey robed wizard who'd lead his company into the rolling hills of this place called 'The Shire'.

"Are you sure he'll even be willing to help us?" asked a slightly worry faced Kili, shifting from foot to foot, also casting his gaze to Gandalf. The wizard simply huffed in annoyance at them.

"How are you ever going to find out, if you don't even knock on the door?" Gandalf asked, waving a hand in exasperation at the door.

Thorin rolled his eyes, before moving forward and rapping his thick knuckles against the wooden door, stepping back as he heard a shouted 'ONE MOMENT' come from within.

Gandalf hummed a contented noise behind the dwarf king, smiling secretly as the door opened, and a puff of fire was nearly immediately directed in Thorin's direction.

"Oh my goodness!" squawked the hobbit behind the fire ball, a tiny lindwyrm wrapped securely around his neck, it's wings spread out in what was surely supposed to be a threatening manner. "I am so very, terribly sorry! She usually doesn't blow up on strangers like that! Are you alright?"

The dwarf king had managed to pat out the small ball of fire that had caught his tunic aflame, looking even less impressed than he had before. "I am certain I will survive," he stated bluntly, turning the scowl he'd directed at the hobbit at first back towards their wizard.

"Ah, Bilbo," Gandalf said jovially, stepping around Thorin to pat the tiny lindwyrm on the head, "So good to see you again."

The hobbit, Bilbo, sighed quietly at Thorin's anger, before directing a surprised, but pleased smile towards the grey wanderer. "Gandalf! Yes, it's always a pleasure," he chirped patting the now calm lyndwyrm on his shoulder, "However, your visits usually entail a favor of some sort." He smiled lopsidedly up at the wizard, tilting his head slightly. "What is it I might be able to do for you today, old friend?"

Gandalf chuckled, nodding a little at the hobbit's perceptiveness. "That is, rather unfortunately, very true, isn't it? Well, you see, my friends here, they require a very particular kind of help-" He took a somewhat startled step back when Thorin steamrolled over his words and stepped forward, nearly crowding into the hobbit's space once more and earning himself a growl from the lindwyrm.

"I am Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King Under the Mountain. I require the aid of a dragon tamer to help remove a fire drake that took my people's homes away from them near sixty years ago," the king stated bluntly, rather looking down his nose at Bilbo, sniffing in mild distaste as the lindwyrm snapped at him from Bilbo's shoulder.

"A fire drake? You mean Smaug?" Bilbo asked, absently patting at the snake-like dragon around his neck to calm it back down. "I-that is a very tall order you have, Oh King. I have heard perfectly well the rumors and stories about the siege of the Lonely Mountain. What ever makes you think that I'll even be able to try and convince a drake like Smaug to leave such a gold hoard?"

Thorin snorted, glancing back at his companions, before sneering at Bilbo. "Well, perhaps if you were to invite us in, we might be inclined to discuss that matter further."

The hobbit blinked in surprise, before looking about, as if completely baffled by the fact that they were still standing outside his hobbit hole. "Oh! Oh goodness, yes. Well…Do come in, then. My appologies. Mind the mud on your boots when you come inside!" Bilbo said, stepping away from the door as he opened it further, before scurrying off further into the smial. "Blasted dwarves, so blunt and brash. Making me forget myself, gracious," he muttered to himself as he vanished around a corner, the lindwyrm around his neck puffing smoke at the dwarves and hissing as they went.


	2. In which Fili and Kili are cute

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What it says on the tin.

“You know, they’re not so bad, once you get used to them,” Kili chirped, wiggling his fingers playfully at the tiny lindwyrm currently wrapped around his shoulders. It nipped at his fingers, a low rumbling purr emanating from it’s chest.

“It’s true, isn’t it?” Fili said, happily moving over to join his brother with the dragon, stroking his fingers carefully over its scales, grinning as the lindwyrn stretched its wings out in contentment.

Bilbo smiled in contentment as he watched the brothers play with his pet, hitching his pack a little higher onto his shoulders. “Her name is Bo,” he supplied to the Durin heirs, the two flashing him matching smiles, before they went back to tittering over the dragon.

“If you continue to encourage them like that, they will no longer want to remove Smaug from Erebor,” Thorin grumbled, walking up behind the hobbit with a scowl on his face.

“I highly doubt that playing with Bo is going to make those boys any less eager to reclaim their homeland,” the hobbit supplied, sniffing disdainfully at Thorin, stepping to the side a little so the king wasn’t hovering right over his shoulder.

“And how would you know?” Thorin grumped, stepping up beside the hobbit.

“Because, they’d much rather see you pleased and have the Lonely Mountain back in dwarfish possession, than play baby sitter to a gold hungry fire drake,” Bilbo said simply. “To be frank, Oh King, Smaug has no rights to your home. Even I, as a tamer, wish to see him removed.”

Thorin blinked in mild surprise, glancing down at the curly haired hobbit, whose frown had dwindled and was watching Fili and Kili with a soft look playing across his features. “I…Yes,” was all he could manage in reply, his shoulder relaxing a little as he, too, turned his gaze to watch his nephews.


	3. In which Kili is thought to be dragon food

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What it says on the tin.

“BILBO!”

“I’M COMING, KILI!”

Bilbo cursed as his foot caught on a tree root, causing him to stumble a bit, before picking up the pace again, ignoring the ache in his body.

It had been such a fine day, the company walking through the woods, cheerful chatter resounding through the calm forest around them as they went. Fili and Kili had went ahead, Thorin giving them the okay to scout ahead while the rest of the company meandered along the woodland trail.

They, of course, were definitely not expecting loud shouts, followed by a deafening roar up ahead of their current position. They were especially not expecting Fili to come crashing through the brush, a wild, frantic look on his face, with Kili nowhere in sight.

“Dragon!” was the only thing out of his mouth, before he disappeared, and the company was off after him like a stampede.

“Bilbo! What are that things weaknesses?!” Thorin snapped, running just ahead of the hobbit, shooting a quick glance back as he drew his sword.

“Thorin, no!” Bilbo shouted back, pushing himself a little to grab the back of the dwarf king’s tunic, and yanking him back, causing them both to stumble to a stop. Bilbo just managed to move out of the way of Thorin’s sword as he swung it while trying to keep his balance.

“What do you mean, no?!” the King snarled, pointing his sword in the direction of the Dragon that was getting further and further ahead of them in the woods, Kili’s long jacket clutched between it’s jaws. “That beast has my nephew! If we do not kill it, he’ll be eaten!”

“No, he won’t!” Bilbo insisted, putting what he hoped was a calming hand over Thorin’s arm. “She’s taking him to her nest. At best, she’ll still only have eggs, so she’ll be planning on keeping Kili alive until they hatch, so he’ll be fine. At worse, she’ll have hatchlings, which won’t know what to do with a dwarf. He has plenty enough armour to be fine against their teeth, since they’ll only have just cut, and their fire won’t be hotter than a fledgling camp fire, yet. We only need to follow her, and help him away from the nest! There is no need to kill her because of your paranoia of dragons!”

“And how do you know she will not kill him and feed him to her babes like a mother bird?!” Thorin shouted, raising his sword towards Bilbo, thunderous expression on his face. “How can you guarantee the safty of my kin?!”

Bilbo took a quick step back, eyeing the sword in the dwarf’s hand, swallowing thickly. “Because she is a water drake,” he said quietly, his gaze slowly lifting from the glinting blade near his throat. “They are peaceful dragons, by nature. They want little more than to live and thrive in their territory. They do not have the malice of fire drakes, nor the destructive tenancies of earth drakes. They only attack if attacked first, so if you go after her, sword drawn, she will most definitely kill Kili. If we take him from the nest, she will simply assume he escaped, and go find new pray for her hatchlings.”

“That is still no guarantee,” Thorin growled, sword not moving an inch away from the hobbit.

“I have raised plenty of water drakes to know what I am talking about!” Bilbo hissed, fists clenched by his sides, “And if you do not listen, what is the point of even having me with you?! If it were up to you, no dragon would be left on this green earth, so do tell me, Thorin Oakenshield, what is the point of having a dragon tamer in your company if you do not wish to hear anything I have to say?”

Thorin stared at the hobbit for a moment, before sliding his sword back into it’s sheath, shooting the hobbit one last glare. “Fine. We will do things your way, halfling. But know this, if my nephew does not come out of this ordeal alive, I will have your hide, next to that dragons.”

Bilbo took a deep breath, shooting Thorin a firey glare of his own, before nodding and running off in the direction the dragon had gone.


	4. In which Bilbo is saved from Spiders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What it says on the tin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was asked by Syxx to write Bilbo being saved by a dragon, and Thorin being subtly grateful.  
> I really doubt this is what you wanted, but here. Have a thing.  
> (I have ideas for Thorin bonding with dragons, fret not)

Bilbo ran as if his very life depended on it. Which, in all rights, it did.

Mirkwood was not the nicest of locations the small company of thirteen dwarves and one hobbit had to march through. The trees were begining to molt and rot, the animals that still lived were silent as death, and those that were not could sometimes be spotted littering the forest floor. No flowers could be seem to bloom, and the fruits that could be found were sour or infested. No, Mirkwood was most certainly not the nicest of places to go.

However, one thing the company had certainly not expected, let alone warned about, were the spiders. Oh, certainly, Radagast had mentioned something to Gandalf in passing, but none of the dwarves took any head. Spiders, after all, were not so big a threat to dwarvin warriors.

Alas, spiders that were near twice the size of dwarves, let alone a hobbit, were certainly not what they had been imagining. Not in the least.

When the spiders had descended upon the company, Bilbo had been just lucky enough to get away from their pincers, slashing at spindly legs with his sword and using his slighter stature to it’s fullest benefit. Bo, the hobbit’s sweet little pet lindwyrm, kept herself wrapped tightly around her master’s neck, under his shirt collar, during the battle, only poking her tiny head out the scorch any hairy spider feet that Bilbo didn’t immediately notice.

Once out of immediate danger, Bilbo hid, ducking below tangled tree roots and wilting bushes, watching in horror as his friends, almost family, were struck down and caught up in webs by the monstrously large arachnids. He barely contained the sound of distress he wanted to make as he watched the dwarf sized bundles being dragged away.

“Stay quiet, Bo,” Bilbo murmured to his dragon, patting her head as he crept out from his hiding place and using his natural talent of sneaking near unnoticeably to the best of his ability to follow the spiders.

The beasts finally stopped after a trek, each spider depositing the dwarves in it’s own spot, whether it was half way up a tree, or nestled at the base of a bush. Bilbo chewed absently on the inside of his cheek while he waited for them to finish storing the dwarves for later, watching the hairy monsters finally leave.

Once he figured the coast was more or less clear, he rushed out from his hiding place, using his blade to cut the fallen dwarves free of their sticky prisons. He sighed happily when the first cacoon he opened revealed the dwarf King who, despite looking shaken and pale, was awake and oh so very alive. Bilbo barely managed to contain the urge to hug Thorin, settling for a watery smile.

“Hurry,” he hissed at Thorin, while the other pulled weakly at the webbing still sticking to him so he could fully stand, “we need to free the others before the spiders return.”

The two set to work, freeing the rest of the company, who were all alive, thankfully, though in different states of wakefulness.

“Thank goodness,” Bilbo murmured as he finished cutting Bofur free, smiling at his groggy, confused friend, completely unaware of the dark shadow slowly creeping up to loom over him.

“Bilbo!” Thorin shouted, as the hobbit looked up in mild horror at the lone spider who had returned, it’s pincers drawn wide, viscous liquid dripping from it’s jaws. The hobbit could barely move, let alone cry out as the spider went to make a move, only to have a burst of flame engulf it’s furry maw.

Bo screeched from her spot on Bilbo’s shoulder, flapping her wings and taking off from her masters shoulders, zipping through the air like a shot. She spit almost liquidy looking fire balls at the spider, the beasts legs catching flame easily, causing it to rear back and let out a horrible clicking noise as it tried to scramble away from the fire spewing dragon hatchling.

“Bo,” the hobbit gasped, just managing to come to his senses and scramble up as Thorin shot forward and with a mighty blow from Orcrist, killed the blazing spider.

“We need to get out of here,” Thorin said quickly, knowing that the distressed noises the spider had made while it was burning alive would only draw the rest of the colony to them. He sheathed his sword and began to usher the still slightly wobbling dwarves away from their temporary prison, casting glances around to make sure no more arachnids showed up before they could make their escape.

Meanwhile, Bilbo reached out and caught the tiny, angered lindwyrm in his hands, pulling her to his chest and patting her head to calm her down as she continued to puff out smoke, and tiny bits of wispy flames. “Hush now, hush,” he cooed, cuddling her to his chest as he made to move with Thorin, out of the small clearing, “I’m alright, little one. You see? Not a scratch.”

The tiny dragon calmed after a few minutes of reassurances, moving to curl around Bilbo’s shoulders once more, nuzzling her head just behind his ear. The hobbit chuckled, shaking his head a little, completely oblivious to the contemplative look Thorin was giving the hatching.

If, from then on, the small dragon was found to be munching on extra scraps of meat, or seemed a little more affectionate towards Thorin than she ever had before, no one, especially not Bilbo, said a word.


	5. In which Thorin thinks he's going to be eaten, but he's not

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What it says on the tin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The snow dragon design was inspired by Graeme Base's Great Snow Dragon design.  
> Check it out!  
> http://xaxor.com/images/Oil%20Paintings/Classic%20B/British%20artist%20Graeme%20Base/b_GraemeBase_GreatSnowDragon.jpg

“What’s that sound?”

Bilbo turned to give Dwalin a questioning glance, pausing mid-step. “What sound?” he asked, before the sound of rustling leaves and snapping branches made itself abundantly clear.

“That sound!” Dwalin snapped, pulling his axes free from their straps, glowering at the woods surrounding them.

Bilbo swallowed thickly, the hand not on his walking stick subconsciously moving to the small sword at his hip. “I’m sure it’s nothing,” he muttered, shifting back a step as Thorin moved to stand closer, Orcrist already unsheathed. The way that Bo flared up around his neck most certainly didn’t bode well for his prediction.

With a crash and snap, one of the great trees that had once been rooted neatly along the path the dwarves were taking gave way, and slammed into the ground, scattering leaves and twigs into the wind. A resounding roar followed shortly thereafter, the ground almost seeming to tremble as a great white dragon stepped into their path.

The dwarves were immediately on guard as the dragon shook it’s head, huffing a snort and began to saunter towards their rag tag band. Thorin stepped in front of Bilbo, Orcrist raised, while the rest of the dwarves closed ranks, weapons at the ready.

Bilbo stared up at the dragon for a good long moment as it snorted at the weapons brandished in it’s direction, flexing it’s wings, and very nearly uprooting the trees on either side of it’s massive body. “It can’t be,” the hobbit murmured, putting a hand on Thorin’s shoulder and stepping to the side of the king.

Thorin protested, reaching out to Bilbo, grabbing the hobbit’s sleeve and yanking him back. Bilbo stumbled a little, letting out a startled yelp as he nearly fell back into the dwarf. “Now, now, Thorin!” Bilbo snapped, the dragon in front of them extending it’s neck forward, eyes narrowing at the dwarf king, “Don’t be quite so rash.”

“It is a dragon,” Thorin growled, “A large one at that. I am entitled to being a bit rash, especially where other’s safety is concerned!”

The hobbit huffed, pulling his sleeve free as he straightened out his jacket. “Please,” Bilbo grumbled, “I am aware that it is a dragon, Thorin. That does not mean that it’s immediately going to try to eat you, or make off with your gold. Do give me a bit of credit, here.”

The dragon’s head, by this time, was very much in Thorin’s space, much to the dwarf king’s chagrin. He scowled at the beast, his fingers flexing around his sword’s handle, before the dragon took a deep breath, and huffed it back out, causing the King to stumble backwards from the gust, his hair blowing into his face.

Bilbo grinned, a hand quickly moving up to his mouth to stifle the laughter that threatened to bubble up and out. “So, it is, then,” he murmured once his giggle fit had passed, and Thorin had himself straightened out a bit, though he still looked plenty disheveled. ”Sol, my sweetling,” the hobbit exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air as the dragon tilted his head to look at him.

“You know this beast?” Thorin snapped, stabbing Orcrist into the ground, scowling at Bilbo as the dragon moved it’s snout to nuzzle at Bilbo, causing the hobbit to stumble a little.

“Of course,” Bilbo said cheerfully, the company putting their weapons away as they moved to inspect the might white beast before them, never having had the opportunity to see a fully grown dragon up close before, without having to worry for their safety. Thorin didn’t budge. “Sol was one of the first dragons I raised from an egg! He had to leave me not long after he hit his first growth spurt once he was no longer a hatchling. The Shire is really no place for a snow dragon,” Bilbo explained, patting the dragon’s snout while the dwarves inspected the drake, Bo fluttering off Bilbo’s shoulder to settle on Sol’s head.

“That does not explain why he’s here, let alone crashing through the woods and uprooting trees,” Thoring groused, pulling his sword from the ground and putting it back into it’s sheath.

Bilbo paused to contemplate that question for a moment, running his finger along the short, sharp point of one of Sol’s horns. “I’m not entirely sure, to tell you the truth,” he said, glancing up at Thorin, chewing on his lip, “By all rights, he should be up north, or high up in the mountains. It’s odd for a snow drake to be found in the forest. It’s too warm a climate, especially with his winter fur.” The hobbit looked back at the dragon, almost muttering to himself, “It must be like the trolls. He’s more tame, since I raised him, so whatever made the trolls come down from up north, must have made him come down as well. As for why he come upon us, that would probably be because I smell like safety to him. Dragon’s imprint, you see, much like other babe’s.” 

Thorin rolled his eyes as Bilbo rambled, finally stepping forward to stand next to the hobbit. “So, he’s just wandering about now, harassing travelers. Perfect,” he grumbled, resisting the urge to draw a blade on the dragon as it raised it’s face from Bilbo to sniff curiously at Thorin.

“Not entirely. Sol liked to keep to himself when he was wandering about the Shire. Like I said, he probably only came to us because he could smell me,” the hobbit reiterated, smiling as the dragon blew Thorin’s hair into his face.

“Can he come with us, too?!” Kili asked, popping up from beneath one of Sol’s wings, “He could be our body guard! Breathing fire on all who dare cross us.”

Bilbo chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m afraid not, Kili. Sol shouldn’t even be this far south. It’s far too warm. Besides which, he doesn’t breath fire. He breaths ice crystals. If he were to come with us, he would probably get sick, or injured. He’s always been uncharacteristically pacifistic for a dragon of his size.”

Kili sighed dejectedly, patting the dragon’s hide. “I suppose that’s for the best, then,” he said, ducking back under Sol’s wing to continue whatever examination he’d been doing.

“Can we move on, then?” Thorin asked, pushing the dragon’s head away from his person as Sol continued to try and sniff at him, almost nipping at the furs of his jacket.

Bilbo watched in mild amusement for a moment, before he grinned widely and clapped his hands together. “Actually,” he declared, “this presents us with a magnificent opportunity! One that I think may help you understand dragons a little better. Or, at least appreciate them more.”

Thorin wasn’t quite sure when, how, or why he’d agreed to it, but he then shortly thereafter found himself seated at the base of the white beast’s neck, clinging to the fur along the back of it’s neck, which resembled a horses mane. “This cannot be safe.” 

“Don’t worry,” Bilbo said with a grin, patting Sol on the neck, “Just hold on tight, and keep your legs clamped, as if you were riding a horse.”

“A horse is not likely to drop me from hundreds of miles in the air,” Thorin snapped, gasping uncharacteristically as the dragon extended it’s wings and began to flap them for take off. He lurched forward, holding on with all of his strength as the dragon lifted off the ground, Fili and Kili shouting not so encouraging comments about plummeting to his death, while Bilbo simply smiled and waved up at him.

“If you drop me, I will not hesitate to forgo seeing the halls of my fore bearers in order to haunt you perpetually,” he seethed at the dragon as the company and the trees around them quickly became smaller and smaller. Sol did not stop climbing in altitude until they were soaring along with some low clouds, the dwarf king sputtering in mild indignation as they flew through a few, dampening his clothes and hair.

After a few minutes of soaring, Thorin sat up a little, his iron grip never fading, but he managed to hazard looking around, and down at the ground. His eyes widened as he took in the sites, looking to the East to see Erebor, standing tall, but looking tiny amongst the surrounding landscape.

“No wonder your kind don’t have much regard for other races,” he murmured, watching what looked like a miniature heard of horses gallop across the ground, “everyone else looks so tiny from up here.”

He paused to think about what he’d said for a moment, looking back towards the forest they’d just flown out of. “Although, I suppose you were raised by the smallest of them all, weren’t you?” He reached forward with one hand, patting Sol’s shimmering scales in mild affection, before reestablishing his grip. “You lot are so very odd,” he mused, smiling faintly as the dragon began to descend back towards the ground.


	6. In which Kili gets a little buddy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What it says on the tin.

“What the-?” Bilbo nearly walked straight into Ori when the young dwarf stopped in the middle of the path, causing the hobbit to look around to find the rest of the company had stopped as well. He frowned, stepping around the youngest to see what they were all staring at.

“What’s all this now?” Bilbo huffed, hands on his hips as he walked to the front of the group where Thorin and Gandalf stood, gasping at the sight he found there.

“Bilbo,” Gandalf murmured, putting a hand on the hobbit’s shoulder as the halfling took a tentative step forward. 

There, laid across the path, was a dragon with scales that could rival emeralds in vibrant color. It was obvious it had been slain and left to rot, by the arrows protruding from the thin flesh of it’s wings, and the bloody slashes across it’s neck.

“Come now, halfling,” Thorin said, catching Bilbo by the elbow, “I’m sure it was self defense.”

“No,” the hobbit said quietly, pulling free of the others grip to walk forward, laying a hand on the dead dragon’s snout. “This is a guardian of the forest,” he said, swiping his fingers over the delicate curl of the dragon’s horns, “A rather calm species of earth dragon. They are wary of travelers, for their scales are softer than their cousins of the south, and their wings are thinner, since they rarely fly much higher than the tops of the trees. No, this dragon was not killed out of self defense. There is a dragon slayer out here.”

Thorin looked to Gandalf, who shook his head the slightest, making the dwarf king stay his tongue. They all knew well that Thorin would happily aid the slayer in his or her quest to rid middle earth of dragons, but he knew it was best to keep those thoughts to himself around Bilbo. Besides, he was also starting to understand what the halfling saw in the beasts.

“I wonder if there were other dragons in this forest,” Kili piped up from behind his uncle, Bo wrapped neatly around his shoulders, looking agitated at the sight of it’s fallen kin.

“Possibly,” Bilbo murmured, finally stepping back from the corpse. “If there were, they would not be very close by. However, there could be a nest.” At that the hobbit paused, glancing between the dragon and Thorin, before setting a determined look upon his face.

“If there is a nest, we need to find it. Now,” he said, in a tone that brokered no room for argument.

“Why should we waste our time? Durin’s day grows closer,” THorin huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Because if there are eggs, they will die without the heat of a parent!” Bilbo snapped, glaring at the dwarf king, and damning his stubbornness.

“If uncle does not want to help look, perhaps the company can move on, and we can search?” offered Kili, stepping up next to the hobbit. “We can easily catch up, if there are only the two of us, and that way no time is lost in our journey.”

Thorin looked at his nephew with mild suspicion, before nodding his approval at the proposition. “Fine. Stay with the hobbit and help him look. Take no more than two days before you move to catch up to us. We will meet up with you in Laketown.”

Kili nodded, a grin on his face as the company marched by, Fili stopping momentarily to tug his brother into a tight embrace. “Do not make us worry,” the blonde said, patting the brunette on the shoulder, before heading off with the others.  
-

“Why would you chose to help me?” Bilbo asked some time later as Kili cut through the underbrush and they trudged off the beaten path.

The younger Durin heir turned to smile widely at Bilbo while shrugging his shoulders, the lindwyrm on his shoulders flaring its wings out at the movement. “Because I find dragons to be, honestly, quite fascinating,” he admitted, slicing through a low hanging vine.

“Please, don’t tell Uncle Thorin, but…I wouldn’t mind becoming a tamer myself, one day. I know, as a dwarf of Erebor, I should abhor dragons with all of my being, but I find myself drawn to them every time we happen across one on our journey. Even when I thought that water drake was going to eat me for lunch, I still found her to be beautiful, if a bit terrifying at the time. And her babes were actually pretty adorable, all truth told. Uncle and the other older dwarves only remember the desolation Smaug laid to our home, and the terror they felt in his wake. They never get the chance to see what we have on this journey. The softer side of these beasts. They can hardly be blamed, of course, what with all the horns and fire and such, it’s hard to see that side of dragons, but. I would certainly like to. Perhaps you’d be willing to teach me?”

Bilbo stared after the young prince, not noticing how far the other had ultimately gotten ahead of him. “You want me to teach you the ways of a tamer?” he asked in disbelief, causing Kili to finally turn to see how far the hobbit had gotten behind.

“Well, yes. I have no duty to Erebor, other than perhaps aid my brother and Uncle when they need me, and that can easily be done between lessons. Again, if-if you’ll teach me,” Kili said, demurring slightly as he went on.

Bilbo beamed, clapping Kili on the arm in excitement. “Of course! Of course, I’d be more than happy to teach you! If there were more like you, young prince, I’m certain we would have a better understanding of our flying friends.”

Kili smiled brightly and Bilbo chuckled, before a glimmer caught his eye. “Kili, look!” the hobbit cried, rushing forward to brush away vines and leaves to reveal the nest they’d been searching for.

“Just one egg,” Kili murmured as he stepped up next to the hobbit as Bilbo scooped the egg up into his arms.

“Yes. And it’s getting cold. Scavengers probably came for the rest. Clutches usually don’t number less than five, so, we’re lucky to have found this one at all,” Bilbo said, holding the shiny green and brown egg out for Kili to take.

“Poor thing,” the prince murmured as he carefully placed the egg inside his jacket, cradling it to his chest for warmth.

“Mm. Come now. We must set up camp and build a fire. If we can get it hot enough, and the timing is right, we should be able to get it to hatch within these next two days. Then we can catch up to the rest,” Bilbo said, ushering Kili back towards a clearing they had passed along their way.

-

“Bilbo!” Kili gasped, dropping the stick he’d been using to prod at the fire to keep the flames high while watching the egg. A hairline crack had formed along one side, the egg giving a tiny tremble.

“Such good timing,” Bilbo hummed, clapping his hands together while leaning over to take a better look at the egg. They had been waiting and hoping over the last day and a half that the egg would hatch. If they could not get it to this night, they would have to abandon hope, and the egg as well, otherwise chance not making it to meet up with the company in time.

The hobbit hustled around the camp site, gathering a bowl of water, and a couple of blankets, before placing a hand on the eager prince’s shoulder, giving him a gentle smile.

“When the egg breaks open, the hatchling will cause the bits of shell to go flying, and may cause a fire, so I’ll be busy making sure nothing gets lit aflame. What I need you to do is douse the fire once you are sure it is free, and quickly wrap it in a blanket. Keep it close to your chest, and make sure not to cover its head,” Bilbo instructed, Kili nodding along, while eyeing the fire as more cracks appeared on the egg.

“Wait,” Kili turned to Bilbo with wide eyes, panic easily found there, “Shouldn’t you be the one to pull it from the fire?! What if I hurt it! And didn’t you say dragon’s imprint?! I can’t, Bilbo-“

“Kili,” Bilbo snapped, grabbing the dwarf around the shoulders and giving him a quick shake as an ominous crack came from the fire, “All tamers need to start somewhere, do they not? Consider this your first lesson.”

-

“What is that?” Thorin scowled at his nephew and the hobbit as they approached the group, a grin splitting Kili’s face, while a proud one sat on Bilbo’s.

“This is Gunnar!” Kili declared, holding the tiny green dragon up like a proud father, grinning from ear to ear as the hatchling squeaked in an attempt at roaring, puffing a tiny cloud of smoke in Thorin’s direction.

“Gunnar,” Thorin deadpanned, arching an eyebrow at Bilbo, who simply shrugged.

“No fair,” Fili grumbled, poking the hatchling in the belly, causing it to squawk and wriggle in the younger prince’s hands. “How come you get a baby dragon?”

Kili simply chuckled and cuddled the hatchling to his chest while Fili cooed over it, Ori quickly scrambling over to ask if he could sketch it.


	7. In which not all dragons can be tamed, and Thorin can be a douche

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What it says on the tin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This drabble would be set a couple chapters back, before Thorin flew on Sol. Pretty much just after they'd have left Rivendell and headed into the mountains.
> 
> P.S-I'd love prompts if anyone has something they'd like to see in this AU.

Bilbo huffed quietly as he shifted the way his pack was resting across his back, Bo squawking at him from atop his head for jostling her around. “Oh, hush,” he grumbled, leaning on his walking stick a little so he could catch his breath.

The company had been moving through the rocky mountain pass for a day or so now, and Bilbo was really quite done with the jagged terrain and constant uphill climbing. Not that he’d say a word, of course. The last thing he needed was to add ‘whiner’ to the long list of less than stellar nicknames he’d picked up since he’d begun on this blasted journey.

“Hurry up now, Bilbo,” Bofur said, hitting Bilbo’s shoulder lightly as he passed by him, “Mustn’t have you lagging behind!”

“Yes, that’d be such a shame,” Bilbo grumbled, rolling his eyes once Bofur had gone ahead. He huffed out a final breath, before making a move to start walking again when he noticed a few pebbles tumble past his toes. He frowned lightly, glancing up towards the cliffs they’d fallen from, for a moment chalking it up to weather shifting the stones. Until he saw it.

“Thorin!” Bilbo shouted, forgoing keeping quiet when he saw the swish of a tail, and the glimmer of a talon, “RUN!”

Thorin turned to look back over the company at the hobbit who had been bringing up the rear with a frown, while opening his mouth to ask why, when there was an ominous roar from the cliffs not far above where they were walking. The king looked up in time to see a dragon that almost appeared to be made of stone spread its wings and leap into the sky.

“MOVE!” he shouted at the rest of the dwarves who had begun to look around at the commotion, turning to take the lead through the pass in hopes of finding somewhere to escape the flying beast above.

With a deafening screech, the dragon swooped down at the company, a well timed swing of Dwalin’s hammer deterring it from snatching Ori up into the air, and causing the beast to fly back up towards the cliffs.

“Quickly! Here!” Thorin shouted at his company, motioning for them to duck into a cave he’d managed to find, Orcrist drawn and ready for if the dragon came at them while they tried to escape.

The dragon swooped at the company once more before they’d all managed to run into the cave, this time Fili being it’s target, and only just being deflected by a swing of Kili’s sword, several dull grey scales being sheered from the dragon’s foot when it had clipped the blonde dwarf’s shoulder.

“Make it leave,” Thorin demanded once Bilbo had run through the opening of the cave, followed by a short burst of whispy flames.

The hobbit shot the king a glare, wiping soot from his waist coat, before reaching up to check and make sure Bo was unharmed. “You must be joking,” he huffed at the dwarf, stroking his fingers along Bo’s wings.

“Of course not. You are a tamer, correct? Go tame that beast so we may move on,” the king groused, the rest of the company rising up in a quick cacophony of complaints and agreements to their leaders words.

Bilbo looked around at them with a scowl, before settling on Thorin. “That, Oh King,” he began, words dripping with venomous sarcasm, “Is what we like to call a Stone Dragon. They live in the mountains, virtually undisturbed, since they blend so well with their surroundings, as I am sure you witnessed today. It is lucky that their flames are so weak, since they are vicious creatures, covered in spikes and talons hard as diamonds. As such, they are not easily, if ever, reasoned with. Let alone tamed. Unless you hatch one, they will inevitably try to eat you! And you really wish for me to go out there and tame it in a matter of minutes?!”

A blast of flame at the entrance of the cave caused the dwarves to move further back into the cave, but only seemed to cement Bilbo’s agitation.

“I know you may think me worthless on your little escapade, but I do not appreciate you practically making me dispensable in hopes that it will quicken your quest!”

“Surely you don’t believe I would send you out there, knowing those facts?” Thorin asked, becoming equally as angered as Bilbo, standing up to his full height to loom over the hobbit.

“That dragon is blowing fire at the entrance of this cave, and your nephews shoulder is bleeding because it nearly ripped his arm off. And you are demanding I go out there, right this instant, to calm it and tame it, so you can move on. Even not knowing the facts I just told you, you were willing to have me run a fools errand and get myself killed! You do not think, Thorin Oakenshield, you simply act! You are an insufferable idiot of a dwarf, and we are not leaving this cave until that dragon grows weary and either leaves or falls asleep, and that is that!”

And with that Bilbo stomped his foot into the cold stone floor of the cave, stormed over to the farthest point in the cave away from the King, and huddled into himself, Bo settled in his lap and puffing smoke towards Thorin.


End file.
